Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard has announced his retirement from international football with Denmark at the age of 32, following the team's failure to qualify for the World Cup. Denmark lost a penalty shoot-out against the Czech Republic in a play-off last month, a major disappointment for the Euro 2020 semi-finalists.
Norgaard, who earned 41 caps and scored two goals for his country, cited a desire to spend more time with family and the missed World Cup qualification as reasons for his decision. In a statement on Instagram, he said: 'I have decided to quit for the national team. On the one hand, it has been a difficult decision... On the other hand, it has been an easy decision because I would like to have more time with my family, and with the missed World Cup qualification it also feels natural now to make room for the talents that fortunately Denmark is still rich in.'
The midfielder made his official debut in 2020 under coach Kasper Hjulmand, and highlighted the summer of 2021 as the most beautiful chapter of his international career. He also expressed gratitude to former coach Åge Hareide for creating a strong team culture, and thanked players, staff, and fans for helping make his dream come true.
Norgaard joined Arsenal last summer from Brentford for £10 million, but has struggled for playing time, making 19 appearances across all competitions without a single Premier League start. He has been used as a back-up to Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. His former Brentford teammates Ivan Toney and Mads Roerslev, as well as Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke and former Denmark teammate Christian Eriksen, sent supportive messages following his announcement.
